Reviews

Help Wanted Nights

When Tim Kasher isn't busy fronting the band Cursive and writing screenplays, he's penning songs and touring with his other project, The Good Life. The band began as a side project of sorts, but now has noted two albums under its belt: 2004's heart-wrenching The Album of the Year, which narrates a romantic-turned-nasty two-year relationship, and the recently released Help Wanted Nights, which actually serves as a soundtrack to Kasher's play of the same name. (Click here for a full discography of The Good Life's albums/EPs/seven inches.)
Booze, cheating lovers, passionate lovemaking, more booze, new friends, small-town life, and, well, booze, are fixtures of The Good Life's songs. The sound is surprisingly stripped-down compared with Kasher's work with Cursive, showcasing the band's Saddle Creek / Omaha roots, and this dual frontman's versatility. Help Wanted Nights is actually a bit country (for lack of a better word), further polarizing The Good Life from the in-your-face rock that has defined Cursive for so many years. Whether indie-folk music speaks to you or not, those who value lyrics over harmonies will likely get sucked in. Kasher isn't much of a vocalist, but his deliberate clarity in pronouncing each word means you can easily understand the narrative in each song -- much like a kids' sing-a-long for adults with alcohol-abuse issues.
Tomorrow's doubleheader at Subterranean will allow Chicagoans to get their first preview of The Good Life's newest album. The early show will likely be populated with under-age Conor Oberst wannabes. Proceed with caution.